Centenary of the birth of Queen Elizabeth II
2026 marks the centenary of the birth of Queen Elizabeth II, on 21
April. Born in 1926 in the aftermath of the First World War, Queen
Elizabeth II would go on to reign from 1952 until her passing, aged 96, in
September 2022 – she was the longest-reigning and longest-lived monarch
in British history. Royal Mail is celebrating the life and work of Queen
Elizabeth II with a set of eight stamps that feature a selection of
carefully curated photographs taken throughout her lifetime. A separate
Miniature Sheet of four stamps reflects Queen Elizabeth II’s lifelong
love of animals.
A collectors sheet is also being released, containing all 8 stamps from
the stamp set with attached accompanying labels featuring carefully
curated photography matching the time period of the paired stamp. The
stamps and labels sit on a background of the official “100”
logo.
GS-187
This sheet is available to purchase from our eBay store and
we have also produced a pair of first day covers featruring the
stamps/labels from this sheet. Please click on either of the images above
to find the relevant webspage at our eBay shop. (15/04)
The Lord of the Rings
Due out on 20th March 2026 is the latest blockbuster release from Royal
Mail marks the 25th Anniversary of the first Lord of the Rings film,
released in 2001. Can it really be 25 years since sine the like of Bilbo
Baggins, Frodo, Gollum, Gandolf, Pippin, Merry and the rest of the crew
exploded on our screens in Lord of the Rings : The Fellowship of the Ring
- the first instalment of a multi-Oscar-winning movie trilogy by New
Zealand director Peter Jackson, based on the novels by JRR Tolkien.
Continued in The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers and The Lord of the
Rings: The Return of the King, the story is set in the realm of
Middle-earth, telling of an epic quest to destroy a magic Ring of great
power, forged by the Dark Lord Sauron in the fires of Mount Doom.
The eight new stamps depict montages from the film
trilogy. Each stamp celebrates iconic characters from the three
films. British Actors from the epic featured are Orlando Bloom as Legolas,
Ian McKellan as Gandalf, Dominic Monaghan as Merry, Billy Boyd as Pippin
and Christopher Lee as Saruman. This stunning imagery also has a secret UV
layer revealed using a UV light, Elvish writing in a circle appears on
each stamp. Fans will recognise this as the writing on the One Ring. In
the first film, The Fellowship of the Ring, Frodo throws the ring into a
fire and writing appears. The writing on the One Ring is in the Black
Speech of Mordor but is written in Tengwar, an Elvish script. The
inscription translates to the famous line: "One Ring to rule them
all, One Ring to find them, One Ring to bring them all, and in the
darkness bind them".
A minisheet will also be issued featuring a further four new stamps set
against a backdrop of a map of Middle Earth From The Shire where
Frodo’s journey begins, all the way through to Mount Doom where he must
throw in the Ring that will destroy it.
No such blockbuster issue would be complete without a
self-adhesive smilers/collector sheet and this issue is no exception.
Featuring all new eight stamps paired with additional imagery from the
film on the corresponding labels on a background featuring the striking
image of the One Ring. The Collector Sheet is printed with self-adhesive
gum and lithography, which is different from the set of stamps which were
printed with PVA Gum and lithography.
GS-186
The sheet is available to purchase from our eBay store and
we have also produced a pair of first day covers featruring the
stamps/labels from this sheet. Please click on either of the images above
to find the relevant webspage at our eBay shop. (13/03)
Another Fake Smiler Sheet Identified!
Last year we reported on a number of fake Smilers sheets which had been
identified and suspected of coming from China. Recently we received
an e-mail from a long-time contributor to this column suggesting that
another fake sheet was being sold on eBay.
The sheet in question is the Smilers 2015 sheet (GD-095).
On first pass the sheets look pretty much identical and I
can understand why most folks could be taken in by these fakes. A closer
look reveals similar tell-tale signs confirming to me at least that these
are suspected Chinese fakes. The back of the sheet is bright white
compared to the dull cream of the originals. Also another clear identifier
is the width of the phosphor bands - on the original there are 2 x 4.5mm
bands with fuzzy edges and on the fakes there are 2 x 6mm bands with sharp
edges.
eBay seller Jasonleeme is selling packs of 100 of these
sheets for £516 a pack a mere £5.16 per sheet. Other eBay sellers are
offering these sheets between £0.99 (auction) to a buy-it-now price of
£84 - you don't have to be a rocket scientist to work out which ones are
potentially fake! (12/03)
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Roses Issue
Royal Mail issued a set of 10 new stamps on 27th February 2026
celebrating the beauty and heritage of roses in the UK. Roses are among
the world’s most beloved flowers, admired for their colour and
fragrance. Roses also hold a symbolic place in British history—the Tudor
Rose remains an enduring emblem of England. The UK is home to more than a
dozen wild species, and cultivated varieties have flourished for over four
millennia.
This issue marks the 100th anniversary of the birth of David Austin OBE
(1926–2018), the pioneering British breeder whose creations transformed
modern rose cultivation. Featuring ten exquisite watercolour illustrations
of different rose breeds, this collection honours both wild and garden
roses—a tribute to beauty, tradition, and horticultural artistry.
Each of the 10 stamps features a brand-new watercolour painting created
exclusively for Royal Mail by acclaimed botanical artist Marie Burke.
Showcases a stunning selection of rose varieties, from delicate wild
species to classic garden favourites, in vibrant detail. Every stamp
captures the unique colour, form, and character of its rose breed, making
this set a true work of art. The set of stamps comprise 5 x 2nd
Class and 5 x 1st Class stamps.
This latest Royal Mail issue also includes a new collector
sheet featuring original watercolour paintings printed in self-adhesive
format. Alongside each stamp is a beautiful photograph of the
corresponding rose variety. The stamps and photographs are set against a
stunning floral background on the sheet Note: The Collector Sheet is
printed in Self-adhesive, whilst the set of stamps are PVA gum, therefore
these stamps are a print variety.
GS-185
The sheet is available to purchase from our eBay store and
we have also produced a pair of first day covers featruring the stamps/labels
from this sheet. Please click on either of the images above to find the
relevant webspage at our eBay shop. (07/03)
Concorde 50th Anniversary of First Commercial Flights
On 21st January 1976, Concorde flew simultaneous flights from Heathrow
to Bahrain by British Airways and from Paris Charles de Gaulle to Rio by
Air France, with each aircraft taking off from Heathrow and Paris at
precisely the same time 11.40am. The supersonic plane became the icon of
the 1970s with an aim to beat the barriers of time and space and to
connect a much smaller, faster and globalized world. Those passengers were
the first to see the curvature of the Earth below them and the sky turning
from blue to black above.
Fifty years on and Concorde remains a technical marvel and a much-loved
icon of civil aviation. To mark this schievement Royal Mail has
today, 21st January 2026, issued a set of 8 x new 1st class stamps
featuring stunning photography of the aircraft throughout its history
including its first and last commercial flights. In addition a
mini-sheet reprises the iconic British stamp issue from 1969
originally commissioned for the 1969 ‘First Flight of Concorde’ issue.
Also included in the list of collectibles released by
Royal Mail to mark this anniversary is a Collector Sheet featuring all 8
new stamp designs rom the Concorde issue alongside labels with additional
imagery all set on top of the striking image of 4 of the aircrafts in the
air. This image was taken on Christmas Eve, 1985, when British Airways
organized a unique formation flight with four Concorde aircraft to
celebrate 10 years of passenger service. The Collector Sheet is printed
with self-adhesive gum and lithography, which is different from the set of
stamps which were printed with PVA Gum and lithograph.
GS-184
The sheet is available to purchase from our eBay store as
usual as are a pair of first day covers prepared using the stamps/labels
from this sheet. Please click on either of the images above to find the
relevant webspage at our eBay shop. (21/01)
Stranger Things
A Happy New Year to all our readers!
On 13th January 2026, Royal Mail are issuing a set of ten Mint stamps
and a Miniature Sheet of four stamps to celebrate the 10th anniversary of
the critically acclaimed science-fiction horror series, ‘Stranger Things’.
Set in the 1980s, the series centres around the residents of the fictional
small town of Hawkins, Indiana, who are plagued by a hostile alternate
dimension known as the Upside Down. Since the series was first released on
Netflix on 15 July 2016, it has attracted a record viewership and a global
fanbase, winning numerous awards across the entertainment industry.
Praised for its characterisation, atmosphere, writing, soundtrack, and
acting - with an ensemble cast including British actors in leading roles,
the fifth and final series aired in November 2025. Royal Mail has worked
with the British artist, Kyle Lambert, who has created bespoke
illustrations for the stamp issue.
In addition to the plethora of Stanger Things collectible
goodies under offer from Royal Mail, too numerous to mention here, there
is a new collector sheet on offer featruing the 10 x 1st class stamps.
GS-183
The Stranger Things collector Sheet containing all 10
stamps from the stamp set and accompanying labels featuring iconic moments
from across the series. The background depicts the night sky in Hawkins
with the iconic blue vs red (the upside down vs the right side up). The
Collector Sheet is printed with self-adhesive gum and lithography, which
is different from the set of stamps which were printed with PVA Gum and
lithography. To purchase either the collector sheet or pair of First Day
Covers, as usual just click on either of the images above/below to
redirect to our eBay shop. (06/01)
Royal Mail Stamp Programme 2026
AS last year, Royal Mail have only released partial details of the
stamp issues planned for 2026. The following details are available
from their website.
| Stamp Issue |
Date of Issue |
| Stranger Things |
13-Jan-26 |
| Concorde |
21-Jan-26 |
| Hornby Model Railways |
19-Feb-26 |
| Roses |
26-Feb-26 |
| The Lord of the RIngs |
20-Mar-26 |
| Centenary of the Birth of
Queen Elizabeth II |
21-Apr-26 |
| Castles |
21-May-25 |
| Waterfalls |
23-Jun-25 |
The issues highlighted in red are those with potential interest for
Smilers / Collector Sheet Collectors. No
further details can be made public at this time so we shall all have to wait and see what
2026
brings! (06/01)
2025 News Archive
I have now archived the 2025 Smilers News and
you may now download this in Adobe Acrobat .pdf format by clicking on the
above link. Keep Smiling in 2026!
I have also updated details of all generic, collector, themed and
business customised stamp sheets issued during 2025 and hopefully have not
made too many mistakes! You can find these updated listed under the New
Issues menu item at top left. (06/01)
